Freedom Fighters Form Sports League for Vaccine-Free Kids

Current worldwide distress has been shown to bring out both the best and the worst in people, but for most, it has only brought about increased uncertainty. However, for those individuals in the ever-growing freedom movement (often labeled ‘conspiracy theorists’), it has reawakened a resolve to challenge government tyranny.

In specific, the severe response to this pandemic has provoked endless controversy. Extended lockdowns, requisite quarantine, mask, and vaccine mandates with no bright light in sight. Regardless of private opinions on the severity of Covid-19 itself, many share the view of Dermot Pomeroy in that the actions of the government are akin to “seeing a fly on a glass coffee table and deciding okay well we gotta kill the fly so let’s grab a sledgehammer”. It was in hopes of finding like-minded people that compelled him to create Rise Up Durham, leading to the birth of the non-profit organization Game On Canada.

The National Telegraph recently spoke with Dermot to learn more about these initiatives.

Activism a Little Closer to Home

Dermot Pomeroy moved to Ontario from Newfoundland at the age of 19 and is a long-time resident of the Durham Region. Until recently he has coached both hockey (9 years) and baseball (2 years), including the teams of his children. It was his refusal to comply with what he feels are extreme mandates that ended his coaching career, for now.

Dermot states that he has been skeptical of the official narrative since looking into 9/11, and the apprehension extends to Covid-19 and just ‘two weeks to flatten the curve’; believing it to be a means of obtaining a One World Government dependant on both digital ID and currency. Although he shares how he was careful at first, he soon “chose to live life normally” with his family in agreement. It wasn’t long before a friend suggested they attend a protest at Queen’s Park in Toronto.

Traveling back and forth from Durham to Toronto, as well as to rallies in Ottawa, left Dermot with the desire to bring the same awareness and activism home. He wanted to promote change locally, so in early August 2020, he started a group called Rise Up Durham which is described on its Facebook page as “a grassroots organization primarily focused on standing up to governmental tyranny in all its facets.” He claims it “grew like wildfire” and quickly Rise Up Durham became part of larger affairs such as the Santa Claus parade, Yonge & Dundas rallies, and convoys through Toronto.

At home in Durham Region, Dermot and group members were doing everything possible to spread awareness from meeting directly with business owners to hosting a Freedom Festival on November 1, 2020. This took place in Oshawa’s Memorial Park featuring live music and informational speakers.

Rise Up Durham has since hosted many events including Music in the Park, a travel restriction protest at Pearson Airport, a Christian service with Pastor Henry Hildebrandt and his entire congregation, and a Freedom Rally every Saturday at The Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters in Whitby from 12 pm to 3 pm.

Let the Kids Play

Time passed, restrictions tightened, and Dermot began to fear for the mental health of his young daughter. She was learning online, had no established social network, and the parks were all closed. It was out of this concern the idea emerged to “just take the park back” and he organized a play date in April 2021 at Stonecrest Parkette in Oshawa, attended by 70 to 100 people. Music played as did the kids, there was potluck food and a barbeque with the increasingly well-known Bubble Bus providing lighthearted fun. Also in attendance were bylaw officers who began to video the children, which was not well-received by parents as seen here. Durham Regional Police Services soon arrived but were supportive, helping to appease the bylaw officers while still allowing the gathering to proceed. Hours later, after having removed the barbeque from the park and relocating some cars parked too close to the intersection, bylaw left while the inadvertent introduction of Game On Canada played on. 

A website – GameOnCanada.net – was designed to promote similar functions throughout Canada, aimed at providing normalcy and to ‘Let the Kids Play’ as stated on their signage. This continued at various local parks until the warmer weather seemed to bring with it fewer restrictions, and the need for these events dissipated. That is until vaccine mandates started in organized sports.

With sports being such a big part of Dermot Pomeroy’s family life, he was devastated that his children would no longer be able to partake. Already upset that “highly paid professional athletes” were considered essential even when it was deemed too dangerous for fans to attend, this agitation increased upon hearing that Scotiabank Arena (home of the Toronto Maple Leafs) was increasing capacity limits for viewers but that only vaccinated fans were permitted.

Less than two weeks after this news, on October 13, 2021, Game On Canada took over Bremner Boulevard from York Street to Lower Simcoe Street in a massive pick-up game called Shinny Night in Canada. Despite large concrete barricades appearing in the fan area the night prior, there was still plenty of room for over 300 kids to play a dozen simultaneous hockey games as well as other sports. Live music acts entertained while information was provided by qualified speakers from Police on Guard and Canadian Front Line Nurses, to name just a couple. Dr. Byram Bridle spoke of how he has been threatened about voicing vaccine harm.

Dermot also met with Don Cherry and requested his attendance at the Game On Canada event, but although he stated he supports the initiative Cherry was scheduled to have knee surgery and was unable to attend.

Of the three media outlets already nearby that Dermot Pomeroy approached – CTV, CP24, and Global News – he claims not one agreed to interview him about the occasion.

New Connections and Next Moves

Networking within the freedom movement has allowed Dermot to forge new connections and begin new endeavors. One such project is a weekly church-like service called Rise Up Christian Fellowship, while another is a joint effort between Game On Canada and Pickering paralegal Lisa Robinson termed Project Humanity.

Project Humanity is accepting (until December 18) toys, clothes, and food for all ages at five drop-off spots between Scarborough and Oshawa to help those struggling enjoy the holidays. Exact locations can be found on the Game On Canada website. 

Game On Canada sees the need for sports outside of medical mandates and is completing the construction of an outdoor hockey rink located at Souls Path in Blackstock. The professional-style rink will be approximately 75% the size of an NHL arena and available for rent or public skating. An organized sports league will be in the works, allowing Dermot Pomeroy to happily get back to coaching. 

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If you would like to be kept up-to-date please contact riseupdurham@gmail.com and ask to be put on their email list. Also, keep your eyes open for the upcoming StreamYard account GAME ON featuring information, videos, interviews and more.